What's it like to navigate fertility care as it becomes increasingly profit-driven in Ontario?

Infertility is considered a medical condition by the World Health Organization and in Canada, it's defined by age. A study from 2023 shows that a fifth of men believe that fertility is a "woman's problem," but the science says otherwise. Approximately one third of infertility is attributed to male factors, another third is attributed to female factors, and in one third of couples, there is no cause identified. This is known as unexplained infertility.

One of the key medical interventions for infertility is called in-vitro fertilization – or IVF. IVF has become a big business. In 2023, it was estimated at $50 billion and is projected to double in the next decade. 

Today, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka is joined by journalist Caitlin Walsh-Miller and Irene Darrell-Austin, a Toronto-resident with lived experience navigating fertility care. They talk about how infertility impacts families, the growing disparity of who can access treatments and why this industry needs to be regulated.


Links:
The High Price of Hope https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/inside-torontos-white-hot-fertility-market/
Private equity piles into Canada's fertility clinics https://financialpost.com/feature/private-equity-piles-into-canada-fertility-clinics
Disturbing errors at Ontario fertility clinics destroy couples’ baby dreams years after province abandoned oversight plans https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/disturbing-errors-at-ontario-fertility-clinics-destroy-couples-baby-dreams-years-after-province-abandoned-oversight/article_502ba774-1f20-4fb0-b2e3-4fb7780e3e82.html#tncms-source=login
Fertility is not just a 'women’s problem' but a fifth of men think it is, a new study finds https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/06/10/fertility-is-not-just-a-womens-problem-yet-a-fifth-of-men-think-it-is-study-finds
Male Infertility is a Women’s Health Issue—Research and Clinical Evaluation of Male Infertility Is Needed https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7226946/
Yes, men have a biological clock too. But it’s not just age that affects male fertility https://theconversation.com/yes-men-have-a-biological-clock-too-but-its-not-just-age-that-affects-male-fertility-268298
The female scientist who changed human fertility forever https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200103-the-female-scientist-who-changed-human-fertility-forever
Where Is the First ‘Test-Tube Baby’ Now? All About Louise Joy Brown, the First Child Ever Born via IVF https://people.com/where-is-louise-joy-brown-the-first-ivf-baby-now-8748006
IVF: The women who helped make it happen https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6352853/
The Vatican’s Secret Role in the Science of IVF https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/pope-secret-history-ivf?src=longreads
How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s https://www.npr.org/2026/01/12/nx-s1-5647761/ivf-fertility-motherhood-40s-cost-donor-decision
Ontario Connecting More Families to Fertility Supports https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports
Celebs IVF: All the celebrities who had IVF, from Kourtney Kardashian to Jennifer Aniston https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/g39990713/celebs-ivf/ 

 

What's it like to navigate fertility care as it becomes increasingly profit-driven in Ontario?
Infertility is considered a medical condition by the World Health Organization and in Canada, it's defined by age. A study from 2023 shows that a fifth of men believe that fertility is a "woman's problem," but the science says otherwise. Approximately one third of infertility is attributed to male factors, another third is attributed to female factors, and in one third of couples, there is no cause identified. This is known as unexplained infertility.
One of the key medical interventions for infertility is called in-vitro fertilization &ndash; or IVF. IVF has become a big business. In 2023, it was estimated at $50 billion and is projected to double in the next decade.&nbsp;
Today, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka is joined by journalist Caitlin Walsh-Miller and Irene Darrell-Austin, a Toronto-resident with lived experience navigating fertility care. They talk about how infertility impacts families, the growing disparity of who can access treatments and why this industry needs to be regulated.
 Links:
<ol>
<li>The High Price of Hope <a href="https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/inside-torontos-white-hot-fertility-market/">https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/inside-torontos-white-hot-fertility-market/</a></li>
<li>Private equity piles into Canada's fertility clinics&nbsp;<a href="https://financialpost.com/feature/private-equity-piles-into-canada-fertility-clinics" aria-label="Link https://financialpost.com/feature/private-equity-piles-into-canada-fertility-clinics">https://financialpost.com/feature/private-equity-piles-into-canada-fertility-clinics</a></li>
<li>Disturbing errors at Ontario fertility clinics destroy couples&rsquo; baby dreams years after province abandoned oversight plans <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/disturbing-errors-at-ontario-fertility-clinics-destroy-couples-baby-dreams-years-after-province-abandoned-oversight/article_502ba774-1f20-4fb0-b2e3-4fb7780e3e82.html#tncms-source=login">https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/disturbing-errors-at-ontario-fertility-clinics-destroy-couples-baby-dreams-years-after-province-abandoned-oversight/article_502ba774-1f20-4fb0-b2e3-4fb7780e3e82.html#tncms-source=login</a></li>
<li>Fertility is not just a 'women&rsquo;s problem' but a fifth of men think it is, a new study finds <a href="https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/06/10/fertility-is-not-just-a-womens-problem-yet-a-fifth-of-men-think-it-is-study-finds">https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/06/10/fertility-is-not-just-a-womens-problem-yet-a-fifth-of-men-think-it-is-study-finds</a></li>
<li>Male Infertility is a Women&rsquo;s Health Issue&mdash;Research and Clinical Evaluation of Male Infertility Is Needed <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7226946/">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7226946/</a></li>
<li>Yes, men have a biological clock too. But it&rsquo;s not just age that affects male fertility <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-men-have-a-biological-clock-too-but-its-not-just-age-that-affects-male-fertility-268298">https://theconversation.com/yes-men-have-a-biological-clock-too-but-its-not-just-age-that-affects-male-fertility-268298</a></li>
<li>The female scientist who changed human fertility forever <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200103-the-female-scientist-who-changed-human-fertility-forever">https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200103-the-female-scientist-who-changed-human-fertility-forever</a></li>
<li>Where Is the First &lsquo;Test-Tube Baby&rsquo; Now? All About Louise Joy Brown, the First Child Ever Born via IVF <a href="https://people.com/where-is-louise-joy-brown-the-first-ivf-baby-now-8748006">https://people.com/where-is-louise-joy-brown-the-first-ivf-baby-now-8748006</a></li>
<li>IVF: The women who helped make it happen <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6352853/">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6352853/</a></li>
<li>The Vatican&rsquo;s Secret Role in the Science of IVF <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/pope-secret-history-ivf?src=longreads">https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/pope-secret-history-ivf?src=longreads</a></li>
<li>How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/12/nx-s1-5647761/ivf-fertility-motherhood-40s-cost-donor-decision">https://www.npr.org/2026/01/12/nx-s1-5647761/ivf-fertility-motherhood-40s-cost-donor-decision</a></li>
<li>Ontario Connecting More Families to Fertility Supports <a href="https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports">https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports</a></li>
<li>Celebs IVF: All the celebrities who had IVF, from Kourtney Kardashian to Jennifer Aniston <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/g39990713/celebs-ivf/">https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/g39990713/celebs-ivf/</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;

(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has – and still is – failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.

(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has &ndash; and still is &ndash; failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.